Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Witch Doctor


I am not a paranoid person...hhmmmm. We've been hearing that phrase a lot lately. Irritable Mother said it in her post I'm Not Paranoid. I just said it in my Conspiracy Theory, I'm starting to be paranoid that you are thinking I am paranoid. I'm not, you know.

I really am not paranoid (who said I was?). HOWEVER, I don't think I'm the only one who would start to wonder...hhmmm, let me start at the beginning.

I'm sure this comes as a shock to everyone out there but I do take Adderall, (a medication for ADHD). Not only do I take Adderall, but I take the highest dose allowed by the FDA. By the way, I could probably be the poster child for advocates AGAINST ADHD medication , as many people would say it obviously isn't working, but it is doing the best it can. Believe it or not...I am the calm and focused person that I am today because of this medication. Ok, reword that, it was worse before the medication. (picture the cartoon with the cat on the ceiling hanging on by his claws).

So I had a doctor. A regular Primary Care Physician can't dole out the kind of dosage on a regular basis, so I see a, um, you know, one of the doctors that specialize in, um, er, uh, "mental" problems. OK, I SEE A SHRINK!! There! Are you happy? I said it...bet you never would have guessed.

So about 10-12 years ago I start to see a well established doctor. After trial and error we finally got to the appropriate amount of medication for me. Each appointment is supposed to be 15 minutes. I was always in there at least 45 minutes. We would laugh and talk and tell each other outlandish stories, me about the fire service, him about the war, and both of us about crazy people. He wasn't my friend (you don't pay a friend to talk) but he was a cool doctor. (He had actually heard of my mother!..I think she is probably a case study for doctors). And then, All of the sudden, he has transferred away after 40 plus years at the same practice.

I find another doctor, at a different practice that is closer to home. He is SHOCKED at the amount of medication I take. He immediately tries to "heal" me. He had a completely different style. Stiff, uptight, precise and to the point,however, sometimes I WAS able to make him chuckle). He was a good doctor and there were no problems. He had been with the practice for quite a while, I'm not sure exactly how long. After 13 months he had lowered my dosage, changed my diagnosis, changed it back, put me on a different medication, raised the dosage and then he put me on a different medication that he said was as effective as the Adderall but safer. In other words, after 13 months I was exactly back where I had started, taking the same thing, just a different name.

So the time comes for my next appointment and they say he has taken a "leave of absence"! OK, here we go again. I schedule an appointment for a different doctor in that practice and they tell me they will mail me my prescriptions (it's one of those meds that cannot be called in) to keep it current until my first appointment with the new doctor.

3 days later I get prescriptions for half my dosage in the mail.

I call them and they say that are not "comfortable" writing that script in that amount before seeing me. Ok, it IS the same practice. They are the ones who cannot see me immediately. They say they will call me back. After numerous calls back and forth I end up speaking with the "executive director" (the head suit...haha...get it...head doctor...head suit...haha....I crack myself up). Anyway, he says perhaps I should go to ANOTHER practice as there is no way they are going to write a script for that much. When I question the competency of the doc I had been seeing, they "assure" me he was a great doc and they didn't doubt his methods.....they just aren't sure if he'll be back or not.

OK, BACK TO SQUARE ONE. I find ANOTHER doctor. this one looks at my history and calmly puts me BACK on the medication that I had been on from the FIRST doctor! He had been a doctor in that practice at least 15 years. I asked him if he planned on retiring or going on a leave of absence any time soon. he smiled and said he was there for the duration. Meanwhile, I'm starting to wonder if there is a little clinic out there somewhere, set aside for past doctors of MyADHDMe. Maybe a support group?

So, believe me when I tell you I'm not paranoid.....let's just see where this doctor is a year from now.

NOW, back to the contest. I am still trying to figure out what the prize will be. I have been asked to omit the options of children and pets so at least it is narrowing down. Also, CK, I will make sure it isn't anything vanilla due to the vast array of chocololics out there....see, I'm not the only one with issues. And remember, even though "I'm not paranoid" I just want to remind you that this is a small prize. It could be anything. Isn't the suspense driving you crazy? (crazy, who said I was crazy?).

Drawing will be after 2 more posts.

P.S. That picture at the top is from an old Scooby Doo cartoon. "Those darn kids!"

31 comments:

Kelly said...

Which doctor or witch doctor? I suspect they are in a nice padded wall institution trying to figure out what the heck you were talking about. LOL!!!

Ding Dang Walla Walla Bing Bang!

Sue J. said...

'Paranoid' literally means "beside the mind." You do have an uncanny way of walking beside your mind to explain yourself. Maybe you are a little paranoid after all (just without the delusions of grandeur).

I truly hope that things work out well with your doctor, because you and God know you the best, and it's frustrating when you get that knowledge out there to someone only to have that someone leave.

You would think they would be happy to refer someone with your uncanny ability to another doctor.

Ooh, eee, ooh, aah-aah! (I should have posted before CK.)

Edie said...

I thought it was Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang. Isn't it? You mean I've been singing it wrong all these years.

Sue J is so smart. Isn't it comforting to know that you're not OUT of your mind, only beside it. :) Actually the was she describes it, it sounds like something we should all aspire to.

The reason I came over here......
YAY!!! YOU DID IT!!!! WOO HOO AND PRAISE GOD TOO!!!! 165,960!!!

Yes the high score is actually much more impressive becasue it took a lot more perseverence. Yes it is over! I'm not THAT competitive! I am more than happy to let you have 1st place in the bubble popping game. :D

Edie said...

btw - I misspell becAUse almost every time I type it. I'm through correcting it. :)

The Patterson 5 said...

That would definately constitute a supreme HIPPA violation if there was a support group out there for previous MD's of MyADHDMe's out there!!!!!!

I hope it all works it's way out and your new doctor does indeed stick around for continuity of care.

My boys will say "Those darned kids" from time to time due to Scoobie doobie doooooo

Pinkshoelady said...

Hi friend.
I knew you would like my balloon story!
I laughed as I read this post today. I hate changing doctors! But as I am married to a minister and we have moved alot...I have to change doctors alot!
With my extensive medical background (not as in the feild but as a patient) It is like writing a 5 page essay just rtying to fill out the forms about my medical history!

I probablyt should just put it on the computer and print it out for them each time...huhmmmm...do you think they would take it?

Oh well,
You pray for me and I'll pray for you. When we both get to heaven...I'll tap dance and you can sit quietly...sound good?

Love ya! I really do!

Pamela

Edie said...

(off topic again) Rhonda is a real person (not my alter ego :D ) and a very good friend. She even signed my guestbook (twice). I had to teach her how to upload the picture. Does that answer the computer challenged part of your question?

She is waaayy more computer challenged than you but it is really only becasue she won't try. She is more than capable.

Anyway, she is a Home Interiors consultant, a director, has been in the business for about 25 years. She asked me to create a blog for her to communicate to her consultants the latest and greatest.

Bonita said...

Well, if anything should make you paranoid it's the fact that doctors work in a medical "practice". That means they haven't mastered anything yet, but still practicing as evidenced by the varying decisions made by all of yours!

My ADHD Me said...

Mrs P...Are you calling me a Hippo? (kidding) We had to take a HIPPA class for EMS.

Pink Shoe--what an interesting concept of Heaven. You tap dancing and me sitting still. Sounds GREAT!

Bonita...I often remind myself exactly that...."They Are Practicing". Sometimes we expect too much from our doctors. After all they are only men and women, definitely not God.

Sue J---Para (beside) + nous (the mind).---"with an otherwise relatively intact personality.....except in the case of the delusions of grandeur and the schizophrenic state. At least I haven't had those diagnosis...yet.

Edie...it's official. We Both Won! Glad to hear that Rhonda isn't your alter ego..."Becasue" you could end up being "paranoid".

Kelly....Which doctor is the Witch doctor? Oh well, "And then the witch doctor he told me what to do he said to ......"

MyADHDMe...nothing to say to you, just thought since I was addressing everyone else I might as well address you too.... (not that I think MyADHDMe is another person)....really I don't....Are you all thinking I'm paranoid? Really, I'm just walking beside my mind.

My ADHD Me said...

ALSO, A Huge round of applause and a great big thank you to Chatty kelly for once AGAIN helping with my blog.

Now the thousands of people that come to check out my blog daily will understand why "Monkey's Are Funny". And as I said in my first Post...I really do not have a dislike or fondness for monkeys...but when I lose focus, well "Monkey's are Funny!"

P.S.Thank you Chatty Kelly for adding it to the top of my blog!!

Jeff and Valerie Carr said...

Am I allowed to enter any drawings on your site? I thought there was an unwritten rule against Notorious Missionaries entering into any contest directly next to your posts....am I ruining my chances to win...um...whatever it is you're giving away? Will you ship to a missionary in Spain?

My ADHD Me said...

YES YES YES...I will EVEN ship to a Missionary in Spain....like I said in your blog...it would be ironic if you win!

On Purpose said...

Seriously...after all the visits and headaches you put up with...you deserve a medication! HA! I would need one too!

Anonymous said...

For the record, you chipmunks and monkeys, the song goes CHING CHANG WALLA WALLA BING BANG.
Not Ding Dang. or Ting Tang.

You don't want to get me started on doctor stories, bless their hearts. ; )

I like Pink Shoe's imagery too. Your blog and comment-taters (as opposed to plain taters) is very interesting reading!!

Kelly said...

According to google it is ting tang. But it is:
Ooh to the eeh the ooh the ahah to the ting to the tang the wallawalla bingbang
Ooh to the eeh the ooh the ahah ting tang wallawalla bingbang


Who remembers saying TO THE ting, TO THE tang?? Does anyone have the original record??

Edie said...

I don't have the record (what would I play it on?) LOL! Do you have a record player to play it on if I can locate the record? Maybe that's what the prize is, the record.

I don't believe the song has all those "to thes" in it. You can't sing it that way. It sounds like giberish. I mean for real, like pig latin on it's called giberish. I remember it from high school and it had a lot of "to thes" in it. I could never speak it.

I am glad to learn that it is Ting Tang becasue I have already taught it to my grandaughters that was and retraing would be very difficult.

Kelly said...

Edie blogged about the witch doctor! LOL! Complete with video.

I found out the "To the" part is from the NEW Alvin & Chipmucks movie, which has them rapping the song. Oh dear.

Walla-Walla!

My ADHD Me said...

I just liked Alvin and the Chipmunks. I DO have a record player but even though I used to have the chipmunks album I don't have it anymore.
The song was written by Ross Bagdasarian, (creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks)---how's that for trivia.

My ADHD Me said...

Love the song on Edie's blog!
The Mystery is Solved!

Anonymous said...

It's funny you put this--Kelly and I were just talking--when Joey was diagnosed and they flew him to UVA--they said he had about 2 weeks to live untreated and we were met by like 10 drs. surrounding Joey and he was sitting up on his gurney singing this to them--they were like this is the kid that is dying?? Funny now, then mildly humorous!!

ET

Sue J. said...

Talk about being schizophrenic, Ross Bagdasarian was Alvin, Simon, Theodore AND David Seville. Truly, the man was a genius! Mastered the art of multi-track recording and created an entire phenomenon.

Just as well he isn't alive to see the remake attempts. His Chipmunks' Christmas albums will be treasured forever. (We grew up on Chipmunks sing The Beatles. I think that's how "I saw her standing there" got to be a favorite song.)

My ADHD Me said...

Actually ET, it was you and I that were talking about this. Maybe CK and you were too. The doctors LOVED Joey. Doctors in Pediatric Intensive Care don't get to see children that "appear" so healthy as Joey did.

To everyone else: Our nephew has PPH. Before he was diagnosed and the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong, he was getting sicker and sicker. When they FINALLY realized what he had, they said he probably would have only had weeks to live, (he was 5 or 6 at the time). They put him on the medicine ( a line that went into his chest) and our miracle happened. He still has the disease and the medicine keeps him alive but after a few years the line was replaced with an inhaler which of course changed his life again for the better. Within years there may be just pills he needs to take. Now he is a 13 year old healthy active boy that plays soccer, swims and has a girlfriend. Because of the medicine and some incredible doctors, he is able to live a normal life.
SO, back to ET's comment, as I said, Intensive Care doctors face children that are dying all day long. It was SO refreshing to them to have a child in there that was singing Witch Doctor and even racing down the halls with his IV trailing behind him (that is, until the nurses grounded him when he accidently pulled out his line!)

My ADHD Me said...

Sue J, I had no idea he did all the voices. I LOVED the Christmas Album.
"alvin, Alvin, ALVINNNNN!!! O KAY!!"

My ADHD Me said...

It Looks Like I have SO many readers and comments.

Of course broken down, not quite as impressive:

MyADHDMe--8 (including this one)
Chatty Kelly--3
Edie-4
Sue J-2
Everyone else-1 each--so far.

But don't forget the thousands that are reading and not commenting!!

Kelly said...

I'm am blogging about Joey on Monday. Thanks for blowing the story for everyone. *grin*

Okay, okay, I know you didn't know I was, but I was/am. Complete with photos!

My ADHD Me said...

Opps, sorry...consider mine a teaser

Pinkshoelady said...

Hey,
I have a favor to ask you.

Would you mind sending me an e-mail so I could ask you some questions?

I have a friend whose daughter is now waiting for their first appointment with a phsychiatrist about ADHD meds.

My e-mail is mpymin2@juno.com

Thanks
Pamela

Edie said...

I'm looking forward to reading CK's post about your nephew on Monday. He sounds like quite a kid! Gee it doesn't run in the family now does it. :)

I almost put the Alvin and Chipmunks version on my blog but since the discussion was about what the words were I didn't think that would bring much clarification. :D

My grandaughters call the Chipmunks the Chickawawas.

HisPrincess said...

I don't visit for a few days and look what happens! Stuff happens without me! And I thought the blog world revolved around me!

Thank you for the giggles. I really needed it today, you are a legend.

Karen Hossink said...

My goodness, I got so into reading your comments, I nearly forgot what your post was about! LOL
I can't imagine the frustration you have gone through with the docs. *ugh*
I had a spell like that with friends. They kept moving. (We live near a university and had lots of friends in grad school. So what do they do when they graduate? Get jobs somewhere else and move away!)
For a time, I semi-seriously considered creating "an aplication to be my friend." The one and only question would have been, "Is there any chance you'll be moving away in the next two years?" I was tired of saying good-bye...
But dealing with the back and forth of diagnoses and drug dosages is just too much. I sure hope things get figured out soon.
My Matthew takes Methylin ER, and I am so thankful for the help it is to him. (To all of us!)

Rebecca Ingram Powell said...

I tried to send you an email this morning...I didn't want you to forget your angel food!